Chapter Three - Age Restricted

She had been told the first rule was to act confident. The guilty looks were the first thing that would give her away. They had to go. She had been coached well and she had the money. The money was definitely the easier part. Emily was nearly bursting with the frustrations that came with pregnancy and she had been more than happy to pay Claire to baby-sit. But now that she was in the store, Claire realized the next part of the mountain was going to be much harder to climb than she had originally anticipated. While she was planning her little shopping trip, all she could think was: go in, get stuff, give money, and get out. She had never counted on the human factor of the cashier. Or in this case, the not so human factor. By the look on his face, Claire knew she was walking around with a big sign saying '12 YEARS OLD!' on her forehead.

The sticky heat of her palms and the fact her heart was about to run off to do a decathlon were surely standout symptoms of her age as well. Claire slipped her purchase onto the counter and avoided the cashier's burning stare as best as she could. Stay calm. Stay confident. Never Panic.

"Just those thanks." She mumbled.

The cashier didn't move and Claire twitched her foot. "I'm not gonna sell those to you Claire."

DAMN IT! She didn't curse aloud but Claire sighed and slugged her way out of the DVD store. Everyone was part of the guardian pack these days. She couldn't even buy R-13 movies without someone knowing who she was and more importantly, how old she was. It wasn't fair! The R-13 movies always had the best bits in them. How was supposed to be as experienced in blood and gore as everyone else when she couldn't watch the right films? Claire was sick of Snow White and her Stinking Seven Dwarves. The best action in that was some hag falling off a cliff.

Her whole life was surrounded by danger. Surely hanging with a werewolf was more risky than watching one on a television? Apparently the film ratings officials didn't see it that way, neither did 'the pack'. Claire kicked a can along the sidewalk like she was middle aged and out of work. It was something she had never really had an excuse to do before and it had always looked cool on telly. She focused so solely on channeling her frustration into the can; she didn't notice a beat up car roll slowly beside her.

"You should have gone when Brady wasn't working." A voice inside it called to her.

Claire looked up to glare at Embry. "Don't you think I know that now?"

"Quil won't let you near that store again." Embry said as he brought his car to a halt.

"I'm a prisoner."

"Wish I could help you jailbreak but I think he would kind of know I was the one who let you out." Claire smirked a little. It was nice to know that sometimes being a wolf sucked more than being overprotected by them. "That's better. Now get it the car; it's going to rain."

Embry dropped her right at the front gate. The whole ride home was perfect; he didn't tell her off or remind her that she was expected to be responsible. Instead, they chatted about her favourite TV shows and the latest car Embry was working on. It wasn't till he was driving off that she realized how much she was going to miss his company.

Mostly, it was because Quil the buzz kill was babysitting her. Babysitting! The word made her feel like a two year and he was going to make her go to bed so early! Claire knew Embry wouldn't make her go to bed early. She was old enough to look after Emily's kids, surely that meant she could spend one night alone. There were so many reasons she would have preferred Quil not to be there or failing that, he could have at least brought Embry. He was so nice. Claire got butterflies just thinking about how he had talked with her the whole ride home. And he talked to her properly not like a little kid like Quil did. She had, had crushes before but this was different; she knew it!

Claire's odd silence worried Quil. It wasn't the usual 'I should get my way' sulking silence. This was different; it was calculated. Though her eyes were fixed on Mary Poppins, he could see her mind whirring. It was times like these that he could give his left arm to know that she was thinking. Her fingers were constantly twitching on a small note of paper tucked into her jean pocket.

"Would you give something to Embry for me?" She burst out suddenly.

Quil shrugged. "Depends. Is it something I would want you giving to Embry?"

She blushed scarlet. Claire really didn't know the answer to that. She settled for doing the Quil shrug. He rolled his eyes.

"Give it." He snatched the paper away from her fiddling fingers and flipped it open.

"Embry…" Quil began as Claire clambered over him trying to retrieve the note. "Thank-you for the ride home. It was really sweet. I was thinking maybe we could hang out sometime. I would like that. Did you know you have really good hair? Anyway, don't tell Quil what the note said. He's funny when he's frustrated. From Claire. Kiss, hug, kiss, hug."

Quil said nothing more. Claire scrunched up her nose as his thoughtful silence became unbearable. "Stop looking at me like that."

"Honestly Claire, Embry? Do you really want have to crush on him?" Quil finally said.

"Yes." Claire replied indignantly. Why should Quil care? She was allowed to like who she wanted. You'd think that if she couldn't buy the movies she wanted, he'd at least let her have this.

"Well, you can't. He's my best friend." Obviously he wasn't going to. Who was he to try and control how she felt?

"So?" Claire was momentarily bewildered as her casual answer sent a burned look across Quil's face. She extinguished her current path and hurried down another direction. "If I stop crushing on Embry will you get something for me as a reward?"

"What is it?"

It was now or never. "I want to watch Blood and Chocolate."

"No, it stereotypes werewolves."

"I'm the only one in my class who isn't allowed to watch it. It's not fair!" Claire huffed. "It's just one stupid movie. I hate being different. I get teased for being 'baby Claire'. Why do you want me to be tortured?"

Watching Claire fight back her tears started a battle between Quil's head and heart. Round One: She was his imprint and he was supposed to protect her. But, which was more important to protect her from, the teasing or violent portrayals of werewolves that would most likely give her nightmares? Round Two: Logic argued that she was just manipulating him but the sobs seemed genuine. He couldn't deal with her being upset like this. Round Three: Claire was twelve. She wasn't even a teenager yet. Just because her classmates were being brought up one way, didn't mean she had to follow the trend. She was too young and innocent to be corrupted by horror.

"I don't want you to be tortured, Claire. I don't want you hurt." He sighed.

Claire peeked up at him through her fingers. "So you'll do it?"

"Which it are we discussing?"

"Both." Claire took a calculated risk when she thought she glimpse a second of reason in Quil's stoic expression.

"Oh right. Then no."

"WHAT?" Claire leaped up, all traces of her frustrated tears gone.

"Embry's not your type." He said firmly. Quil put the note down on the table. Having such a confession from Claire in his hands bothered him for reasons he didn't fully understand himself.

"I don't have a 'type'." She snapped back.

Of course that was the exact moment Embry stepped into the fire. Claire and Quil were both burning in frustration at the other's inability to change their mind. The stubborn and heated glares they were giving each other were almost comical. At least, it would have been if they both weren't so determined at trumping the other.

"Is this a bad time? I just thought I'd bring over the sleeping bag you needed before I forgot."

Claire broke her stare and grinned at Embry. "No, perfect timing. I want to tell you something."

"Claire…" Quil said warningly.

"Well, I mean I wrote you a note." She snatched her note from the coffee table before Quil could even think of it.

"No, she didn't." Quil had one last try at stopping the stubborn, love struck girl. She held the note agonizingly close to Embry. Quil meet his best friend's gaze and gave him the most pleading look he could muster.

"Be gentle" He whispered to Embry.

Embry looked from Quil to Claire, reading his exasperation and her hopeful smile exactly right. "Ah, is this another Seth situation except with me instead of Seth. Or Paul. Or Jared. Or Jake."

"This is completely different." Claire's burning glare returned. How dare he?

"It's the same situation." Quil affirmed.

"I'm sorry, Claire. You're a little young for me." Embry told her apologetically. And despite her forlorn expression, he couldn't help but tease her a little. "But I'm sure Quil will love your attention."

Embry grinned at it her at her appalled face. Her nose scrunched up and he could have sworn she was gagging. "Gross, who would have a crush on Quil!"

If only she knew.